Accenture exec says AI is core business strategy, not side project
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES — In the global rush to deploy generative artificial intelligence (AI), Accenture is urging companies to rethink how deeply the technology must be woven into their operations, warning that AI cannot succeed as a standalone initiative bolted onto existing plans, according to a report from Fortune.
Speaking at the Fortune Brainstorm AI conference, Arnab Chakraborty, Accenture’s Chief Responsible AI Officer, told business leaders that the old model of separating technology roadmaps from corporate strategy no longer works.
“The data and AI strategy is not a separate strategy, it is the business strategy,” he said, underscoring that AI must sit at the heart of decision-making, investment, and organizational design.
Accenture-Telstra partnership creates new AI model
That message is shaping Accenture’s work with Australian telecommunications giant Telstra, where the two companies have taken the unusual step of forming a joint venture to accelerate transformation.
Launched in January 2025, the partnership aims to accelerate beyond traditional consulting engagements and circumvent the inertia of large corporate structures.
According to Telstra data and AI executive Dayle Stevens, the shift was driven by the pace of change in the market. The company initially planned a five-year roadmap but quickly realized it was out of step with reality.
“We thought we could do what we wanted to do within five years and we wanted to do it within two,” she told the conference.
Chakraborty described the joint venture as a “very bold move” and an “industry first” for both telecoms and consulting.
“We had to form a new company, you know, where this whole setup of data and AI has been formed and what it is doing is, it is creating a new identity,” he said, adding that it remains closely integrated with Telstra while drawing innovation from the consulting sector and Silicon Valley.
The model also allows both partners to sidestep rigid annual budget cycles, which Stevens said can be a major obstacle when “AI moves really fast.”
Data platform consolidation drives AI quality
Chakraborty warned companies not to focus only on tools and models. “Think about the people and the culture. It is so paramount,” he said, noting that AI adoption effectively reshapes how organizations work.
He also cautioned leaders not to “get carried away with the shiny AI” while ignoring weak data foundations.
Telstra’s experience illustrates the challenge. Stevens said the company had accumulated “80 different data platforms,” making it difficult to ensure quality and consistency.
“You can’t get data quality without improving that data ecosystem,” she said. Telstra is now consolidating those platforms down to three, with plans to complete the process within 18 months.
The human response to AI, Stevens added, has been encouraging when handled with empathy. When Telstra introduced a generative AI tool called “Ask Telstra” as a solution to staff pain points, she said, “We literally got a standing ovation.”
For the global outsourcing industry, as service providers race to embed AI into delivery models, the Accenture-Telstra example highlights that sustainable advantage will come not from automation alone, but from rethinking operating models, investing in clean data, and building trust with workers and clients alike.
In an industry built on scale and efficiency, AI’s real value may lie in how deeply it reshapes strategy, culture, and long-term partnerships.
